Cut out time-wasting, pleads Federer

World number 3 wants changes to be made on court. Wants umpires to be stricter.

NEW YORK: Roger Federer wants a crackdown on time-wasting, a plea which coincided with claims that the majority of the world’s top umpires have boycotted the US Open in a row over pay and conditions.

Federer believes there are improvements to be made on court to improve the spectacle and the sport’s attraction to fans.

“If you look at how much time we can take walking onto the court until the first ball is hit and there are many times where it takes way too long between points,” said Federer. “I think officials should and could be stricter. I’ve felt like this last six months they’ve been trying to speed up the warm-ups. I think that’s good, because I think it’s a bit of a waste of time, to be quite honest, this whole pre warm-up and stuff.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2011.